University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
1B
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
Gophers Announce the Addition of Three Transfers
11/1/2023 2:03:00 PM | Baseball
Minnesota looks to bolster their pitching staff with the addition of three transfer pitchers
MINNEAPOLIS – Head Coach John Anderson has announced the signings of three incoming student-athletes ahead of the 2024 roster reveal for Gopher Baseball's 135th season.
The additions of Tommy Gross (Creighton), Justin Thorsteinson (Oregon State) and Nick Argento (North Carolina) bolster an already strong roster that returns 21 lettermen, eight-of-nine starters in last year's lineup, and six hurlers who tossed at least 20 innings last spring for the youngest team in the Big Ten Conference.
"I am excited about the additions we have brought into the program over the summer. These three young men understand our 'Team Why' and are committed to wearing the "M" and representing what it means to play for Minnesota," said Coach Anderson. "It was essential for us to add depth to the pitching staff, especially experienced players, along with the players we have returning from injury and the pitchers we have coming back. I'm looking forward to what this pitching staff can accomplish in 2024."
Tommy Gross
Gross arrives back home in Minnesota after spending his first two years at North Iowa Area Community College with current Gopher teammates Ike Mezzenga and Connor Wietgrefe, and one season at Creighton. Originally a 2020 graduate of Minnetonka High School, Gross excelled for the Skippers in three seasons under Head Coach Paul Twenge as the starting shortstop and a right-handed pitcher. In a shortened high school career due to COVID-19, he struck out 142 batters in three years, just short of record holder and Gopher alumni Marcus McKenzie ('07).
Gross entered college ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 559 RHP prospect in the nation out of high school and No. 26 overall player in Minnesota. Prep Baseball Report ranked him as the No. 29 player in Minnesota's 2020 class and No. 13 RHP.
At North Iowa Area Community College, Gross excelled on the mound and at the plate for the Tritons. The durable, hard throwing right-hander tossed 90.2 innings in two seasons with an astounding 142 strikeouts in 20 appearances and 18 games started. Gross racked up more than eight strikeouts in seven of his 11 starts in 2022, including a 12-strikeout performance against Marshalltown CC (Apr. 23, 2022). Gross posted a career 14.1 strikeouts per nine, leading the Triton staff in strikeouts, games started and fewest hits per nine, while his ERA (4.34) and innings pitched (56) ranked second best. A two-way player as a freshman, the Minnetonka native hit .353/.452/.529 with 2 homeruns and12 RBI en route to being named All-Region Honorable Mention. Additionally, Gross pitched in the 2022 MLB Draft League for the West Virginia Black Bears, earning a 2-0 record in five starts, tallying 15 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched.
At Creighton, Gross worked out of the bullpen, collecting seven strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched in six appearances. He made his NCAA collegiate debut versus Coastal Carolina on February 25 of this year and had his best outing versus UNLV on April 26, working four hitless innings with four strikeouts.
This summer of 2023 was a breakout campaign for the rising junior where he excelled for the St. Cloud Rox of the Northwoods League. Gross led the Rox to the Northwoods League Championship game, finishing with a 6-1 record, 1.39 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched, allowing just 26 hits. He made 14 appearances in total, and through his first eight outings totaling more than 21 innings, he didn't allow an earned run. One of the more sought-after arms in the transfer portal this summer, Gross was named to the Northwoods League Great Plains All Star team and was honored as a Postseason All Star, one of just twelve pitchers to earn the honor in the 24-team league.
Gross follows a long line of Minnetonka alumni to play for the Gophers. Notables include Ken (Joe) Comer ('73), Dennis Allar ('74), Paul Simon ('76), Steve Comer ('76), Bill Piwnica ('83), Mike Pavelka ('88), Brent Davis ('92), Jim Brower ('94), Brad Kearin ('96), Mike Mahady ('96), Jason Kennedy ('02), Rob LaRue ('02), Sean Kommerstad ('07), Marcus McKenzie ('07), Jeff Engel ('08), AJ Pettersen ('11), Luke Pettersen ('18), and Sam Thoresen ('20).
Tommy is the son of Mark and Mary Ellen Gross and plans to major in business.
Schools Also Recruited By: Arizona State, South Carolina
Ty McDevitt on Gross: "We've had our eye on Tommy for a long time going back to his prep days at Minnetonka. He's got some of the best stuff you'll find in a college arm, he can run it up to 96-97 and spin a breaking ball as well as anyone. The biggest question has always been the command, and this summer he was finally able to hone that in and make some big adjustments. I was impressed with him this fall and look forward to watching him make a big impact in the Big 10 next spring."
Justin Thorsteinson
Thorsteinson comes to Gold Country after spending the previous three seasons at the national powerhouse, Oregon State. Prior to his arrival in Corvallis, Thorsteinson graduated from Langley Senior Secondary School in 2020 under Head Coach Jamie Bodaly. As a sophomore, he finished with a 6-0 record and 0.21 ERA, striking out 33 batters in 35 innings for the Saints. At the plate, he hit .324 with two doubles, three home runs and 26 RBI. In 2019, he went 3-0 on the mound with an incredible 0.00 ERA, striking out 39 in 28.1 innings pitched to go along with a .368 average, 12 doubles, five home runs and 45 RBI. Named to the Canadian National Team, Thorsteinson competed in the WBSC World Cup for Team Canada, making one start and totaling 7.1 innings pitched with seven strikeouts in four appearances. He was also named to the 2019 Area Code Games (Royals) and played for Langley Blaze Travel during the summer.
A nationally ranked high school talent, Perfect Game ranked him as the No. 81 LHP in the nation, No. 1 LHP in British Columbia and No. 7 overall player. Prep Baseball Report ranked him as the No. 486 overall player in the country and No. 56 LHP overall. He also ranked as the No. 2 overall player in British Columbia and No. 1 pitcher.
As a freshman in 2021, he made his collegiate debut versus Loyola Marymount (Apr. 28, 2022), but missed most of the season due to illness. He returned in 2022 and made nine appearances out of the Beavers bullpen, working eight innings with four strikeouts. As a junior, he made 10 appearances, including four starts, and posted a 4.11 ERA (sixth-best on the staff), with 19 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. On March 7, 2023, he picked up his first career collegiate win with 2.1 scoreless innings vs San Diego.
Son of Jordan and Heidi Thorsteinson, Justin plans to major in sports management.
Schools Also Recruited By: South Carolina, Washington State, Purdue, Grand Canyon, Hawaii, and Seattle
Alec Crawford on Thorsteinson: "Justin is exactly what we're looking for in recruiting. He's athletic, spins the breaking ball, has a loose, quick arm action and a repeatable delivery. Not only that but his attitude and work ethic were an instant match for us. He was a national two-way recruit out of high school, which speaks to his high-end athleticism, and as he's transitioned over to pitching specific this summer, we've already seen a big jump in performance. The sky's the limit for him, he'll provide an immediate impact for the staff this coming spring and be a key contributor for us."
Nick Argento
Argento transitions to the Gophers following a two-season stint at UNC Chapel Hill. A former two-year letterman under Head Coach, and Gopher Baseball alumni, Bobby DeWitt at Wayzata High School, Argento had a standout senior year earning 2021 MSHSBCA First-Team All-State selection with a 1.66 ERA and led the team in home runs (3) and OPS (1.084). His performance secured him a spot on the 2021 Minneapolis Star Tribune All-Metro 1st Team and helped the Trojans clinch a No. 1 seed in the Section 6AAAA tournament.
Argento entered college in 2021 as the No. 7 overall player in the state of Minnesota and No. 3 overall RHP.
After overcoming injuries in his initial two collegiate seasons, he returned to action this summer with the Madison Mallards in the Northwoods League. In 25.1 innings, Argento struck out 15 batters and had a 5.68 ERA. He had a solid start to his summer, allowing zero earned runs in his first 8.1 innings across five appearances. From June 25 to July 11, he worked 13.1 innings, allowing just 11 hits with a 0.69 ERA. In his final two starts of the summer, he allowed just two hits over 8 innings pitched with 5 strikeouts.
In addition to Argento's athletic accomplishments, he has achieved a number of off-field successes which include: 2022 and 2023 ACC Academic Honor Roll, National Honor Society Officer, and a group leader in the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy.
A native of Wayzata, Minnesota, Nick is the son of Celeste and Mark Argento.
Schools Also Recruited By: Stanford, Notre Dame, Boston College, Northwestern, Columbia and Cornell
Packy Casey on Argento: "Nick has battled freak injuries in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, as unfortunate as that's been, he's remained extremely optimistic and worked exceptionally hard to get back to form," said Recruiting Coordinator Packy Casey. "This past summer was the most innings he's had on the mound since his senior year of high school, and this fall he really impressed us with where he's at. Not only had the velo jumped to 89-91, but everything moved and had good sink and run to it. He is still just beginning to scratch the surface of his ability level and he'll play a big role on our '24 pitching staff."
2024 Roster Returns:
Along with their transfer additions, the Gophers are expected to return the following players from season ending injuries sustained last spring: RHP-Will Semb, RHP/INF-Joe Hauser, OF-Josh Fitzgerald, C-Sam Hunt, LHP-Noah Rooney, RHP-Sam Kennedy, and LHP-TJ Egan. Additionally, Jared Everson will be transitioning to a student assistant coach role where he will coach 1st base, and work with the 1st basemen while assisting with the offense.
The additions of Tommy Gross (Creighton), Justin Thorsteinson (Oregon State) and Nick Argento (North Carolina) bolster an already strong roster that returns 21 lettermen, eight-of-nine starters in last year's lineup, and six hurlers who tossed at least 20 innings last spring for the youngest team in the Big Ten Conference.
"I am excited about the additions we have brought into the program over the summer. These three young men understand our 'Team Why' and are committed to wearing the "M" and representing what it means to play for Minnesota," said Coach Anderson. "It was essential for us to add depth to the pitching staff, especially experienced players, along with the players we have returning from injury and the pitchers we have coming back. I'm looking forward to what this pitching staff can accomplish in 2024."
Tommy Gross
| Position: RHP | Height: 6-2 | Weight: 210 Hometown: Minnetonka, Minn. | High School: Minnetonka | Previous School: Creighton Scouting Report: A developing power arm that is just beginning to scratch the surface of his immense potential. Has only been pitching for three years after being featured as a position player during his prep career. Possess an electric arm that's been up to 97 mph with an excellent slider that acts as a true-out pitch at the Division I level. Can immediately boost an already impressive pitching staff for Minnesota next spring with his high impact arm. |
Gross arrives back home in Minnesota after spending his first two years at North Iowa Area Community College with current Gopher teammates Ike Mezzenga and Connor Wietgrefe, and one season at Creighton. Originally a 2020 graduate of Minnetonka High School, Gross excelled for the Skippers in three seasons under Head Coach Paul Twenge as the starting shortstop and a right-handed pitcher. In a shortened high school career due to COVID-19, he struck out 142 batters in three years, just short of record holder and Gopher alumni Marcus McKenzie ('07).
Gross entered college ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 559 RHP prospect in the nation out of high school and No. 26 overall player in Minnesota. Prep Baseball Report ranked him as the No. 29 player in Minnesota's 2020 class and No. 13 RHP.
At North Iowa Area Community College, Gross excelled on the mound and at the plate for the Tritons. The durable, hard throwing right-hander tossed 90.2 innings in two seasons with an astounding 142 strikeouts in 20 appearances and 18 games started. Gross racked up more than eight strikeouts in seven of his 11 starts in 2022, including a 12-strikeout performance against Marshalltown CC (Apr. 23, 2022). Gross posted a career 14.1 strikeouts per nine, leading the Triton staff in strikeouts, games started and fewest hits per nine, while his ERA (4.34) and innings pitched (56) ranked second best. A two-way player as a freshman, the Minnetonka native hit .353/.452/.529 with 2 homeruns and12 RBI en route to being named All-Region Honorable Mention. Additionally, Gross pitched in the 2022 MLB Draft League for the West Virginia Black Bears, earning a 2-0 record in five starts, tallying 15 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched.
At Creighton, Gross worked out of the bullpen, collecting seven strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched in six appearances. He made his NCAA collegiate debut versus Coastal Carolina on February 25 of this year and had his best outing versus UNLV on April 26, working four hitless innings with four strikeouts.
This summer of 2023 was a breakout campaign for the rising junior where he excelled for the St. Cloud Rox of the Northwoods League. Gross led the Rox to the Northwoods League Championship game, finishing with a 6-1 record, 1.39 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched, allowing just 26 hits. He made 14 appearances in total, and through his first eight outings totaling more than 21 innings, he didn't allow an earned run. One of the more sought-after arms in the transfer portal this summer, Gross was named to the Northwoods League Great Plains All Star team and was honored as a Postseason All Star, one of just twelve pitchers to earn the honor in the 24-team league.
Gross follows a long line of Minnetonka alumni to play for the Gophers. Notables include Ken (Joe) Comer ('73), Dennis Allar ('74), Paul Simon ('76), Steve Comer ('76), Bill Piwnica ('83), Mike Pavelka ('88), Brent Davis ('92), Jim Brower ('94), Brad Kearin ('96), Mike Mahady ('96), Jason Kennedy ('02), Rob LaRue ('02), Sean Kommerstad ('07), Marcus McKenzie ('07), Jeff Engel ('08), AJ Pettersen ('11), Luke Pettersen ('18), and Sam Thoresen ('20).
Tommy is the son of Mark and Mary Ellen Gross and plans to major in business.
Schools Also Recruited By: Arizona State, South Carolina
Ty McDevitt on Gross: "We've had our eye on Tommy for a long time going back to his prep days at Minnetonka. He's got some of the best stuff you'll find in a college arm, he can run it up to 96-97 and spin a breaking ball as well as anyone. The biggest question has always been the command, and this summer he was finally able to hone that in and make some big adjustments. I was impressed with him this fall and look forward to watching him make a big impact in the Big 10 next spring."
Justin Thorsteinson
| Position: LHP | Height: 6-4 | Weight: 250 Hometown: Richmond, British Columbia | High School: Langley Senior Secondary School | Previous School: Oregon State Scouting Report: Talented lefty who came out of high school as a national recruit and spent three years as a two-way talent for Oregon State before moving to the mound full-time this past year. Pitches with angle, repeatable delivery, and three-pitch mix. Velocity jumped this summer from 86-90, topping at 91 mph with a very good slider. Still has a lot of room for continued development with frame, athleticism, and size. Strike-throwing lefty who will make an immediate impact for Minnesota. |
Thorsteinson comes to Gold Country after spending the previous three seasons at the national powerhouse, Oregon State. Prior to his arrival in Corvallis, Thorsteinson graduated from Langley Senior Secondary School in 2020 under Head Coach Jamie Bodaly. As a sophomore, he finished with a 6-0 record and 0.21 ERA, striking out 33 batters in 35 innings for the Saints. At the plate, he hit .324 with two doubles, three home runs and 26 RBI. In 2019, he went 3-0 on the mound with an incredible 0.00 ERA, striking out 39 in 28.1 innings pitched to go along with a .368 average, 12 doubles, five home runs and 45 RBI. Named to the Canadian National Team, Thorsteinson competed in the WBSC World Cup for Team Canada, making one start and totaling 7.1 innings pitched with seven strikeouts in four appearances. He was also named to the 2019 Area Code Games (Royals) and played for Langley Blaze Travel during the summer.
A nationally ranked high school talent, Perfect Game ranked him as the No. 81 LHP in the nation, No. 1 LHP in British Columbia and No. 7 overall player. Prep Baseball Report ranked him as the No. 486 overall player in the country and No. 56 LHP overall. He also ranked as the No. 2 overall player in British Columbia and No. 1 pitcher.
As a freshman in 2021, he made his collegiate debut versus Loyola Marymount (Apr. 28, 2022), but missed most of the season due to illness. He returned in 2022 and made nine appearances out of the Beavers bullpen, working eight innings with four strikeouts. As a junior, he made 10 appearances, including four starts, and posted a 4.11 ERA (sixth-best on the staff), with 19 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. On March 7, 2023, he picked up his first career collegiate win with 2.1 scoreless innings vs San Diego.
Son of Jordan and Heidi Thorsteinson, Justin plans to major in sports management.
Schools Also Recruited By: South Carolina, Washington State, Purdue, Grand Canyon, Hawaii, and Seattle
Alec Crawford on Thorsteinson: "Justin is exactly what we're looking for in recruiting. He's athletic, spins the breaking ball, has a loose, quick arm action and a repeatable delivery. Not only that but his attitude and work ethic were an instant match for us. He was a national two-way recruit out of high school, which speaks to his high-end athleticism, and as he's transitioned over to pitching specific this summer, we've already seen a big jump in performance. The sky's the limit for him, he'll provide an immediate impact for the staff this coming spring and be a key contributor for us."
Nick Argento
| Position: RHP | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 220 Hometown: Wayzata, Minn. | High School: Wayzata | Previous School: North Carolina Scouting Report: Tall and athletic right-hander who works as a ground ball pitcher and features a 3-pitch mix. Fastball has good sink and run working 89-91 mph, has a sweeping slider with good depth and a changeup that acts a two-strike weapon against right-handed hitters with arm side run. Has gotten better with each outing as he continues to get stronger and more healthy. Strong competitor who could work in a variety of roles for Minnesota as either a starter or middle innings reliever. |
Argento transitions to the Gophers following a two-season stint at UNC Chapel Hill. A former two-year letterman under Head Coach, and Gopher Baseball alumni, Bobby DeWitt at Wayzata High School, Argento had a standout senior year earning 2021 MSHSBCA First-Team All-State selection with a 1.66 ERA and led the team in home runs (3) and OPS (1.084). His performance secured him a spot on the 2021 Minneapolis Star Tribune All-Metro 1st Team and helped the Trojans clinch a No. 1 seed in the Section 6AAAA tournament.
Argento entered college in 2021 as the No. 7 overall player in the state of Minnesota and No. 3 overall RHP.
After overcoming injuries in his initial two collegiate seasons, he returned to action this summer with the Madison Mallards in the Northwoods League. In 25.1 innings, Argento struck out 15 batters and had a 5.68 ERA. He had a solid start to his summer, allowing zero earned runs in his first 8.1 innings across five appearances. From June 25 to July 11, he worked 13.1 innings, allowing just 11 hits with a 0.69 ERA. In his final two starts of the summer, he allowed just two hits over 8 innings pitched with 5 strikeouts.
In addition to Argento's athletic accomplishments, he has achieved a number of off-field successes which include: 2022 and 2023 ACC Academic Honor Roll, National Honor Society Officer, and a group leader in the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy.
A native of Wayzata, Minnesota, Nick is the son of Celeste and Mark Argento.
Schools Also Recruited By: Stanford, Notre Dame, Boston College, Northwestern, Columbia and Cornell
Packy Casey on Argento: "Nick has battled freak injuries in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, as unfortunate as that's been, he's remained extremely optimistic and worked exceptionally hard to get back to form," said Recruiting Coordinator Packy Casey. "This past summer was the most innings he's had on the mound since his senior year of high school, and this fall he really impressed us with where he's at. Not only had the velo jumped to 89-91, but everything moved and had good sink and run to it. He is still just beginning to scratch the surface of his ability level and he'll play a big role on our '24 pitching staff."
2024 Roster Returns:
Along with their transfer additions, the Gophers are expected to return the following players from season ending injuries sustained last spring: RHP-Will Semb, RHP/INF-Joe Hauser, OF-Josh Fitzgerald, C-Sam Hunt, LHP-Noah Rooney, RHP-Sam Kennedy, and LHP-TJ Egan. Additionally, Jared Everson will be transitioning to a student assistant coach role where he will coach 1st base, and work with the 1st basemen while assisting with the offense.
First Practice of Fall
Thursday, September 18
Weber Neels Highlights
Wednesday, May 28
Gophers (11) - Michigan State (5) Highlights
Friday, May 16
Gophers (4) - Michigan State (3) Highlights
Thursday, May 15